When we set out to buy something, our decision to make the purchase can be far more influenced by the fact that we want that product or service rather than needing it. This all comes down to the way in which companies or brands sell things to us. It involves far more than simple advertising and there are many complex and clever ways in which brands really get to the heart of what we want as consumers and more importantly, what makes us feel good. Here are four core ways in which brands can achieve this.
Tapping into Emotions
Apple has done an incredible job of selling us its products without actually selling them. How many of us have an iPhone, a MacBook and maybe one or even two iPads? Apple’s secret sauce is tapping into the consumer’s emotions by separating their brand message from their products. They communicate that they believe in thinking differently and aim to challenge the status quo. They then say they believe in making beautifully designed and simple to use products in order to do this. They don’t directly ask us if we want to buy them! As consumers, we get drawn in by that message because we then not only feel part of it but also believe that the latest Apple product will make our lives easier – even if it essentially does the same thing as something we already own!
FOMO!
Or fear of missing out. We know that we can watch movies on our iPad 2 and MacBook but when everyone is talking about how amazing the iPad 3 is, we want to get in on that action too! We also feel more tech-savvy if we’re first in line to purchase the newest iPhone, computer or car and convince ourselves that we need it as we’re simply embracing the evolution of technology. We want to be seen to be keeping up with the latest buzz and more importantly, we also want to be seen to be keeping up with our peers, friends and colleagues. Brands really play on this sense of consumer fear.
They know everything about us!
The brands that do the best job of selling us their products or services are the ones that do their research. They find out who their customers are, where they can be found both online and offline, why they buy, how they buy, what makes them feel good about buying and what they expect. They also find out what their customers think of their competitors so they can strive to be better and stay ahead. If they know exactly what we want, they can create their products accordingly and sell them to us in a way that they know will resonate.
Utilising the power of bloggers
Bloggers have become core influencers over the past few years and now have even more power over consumers than traditional advertising. This is particularly evident in the fashion and beauty industry where brands have created a buzz about their products by getting them featured and talked about online through bloggers. Online retailers ASOS, Missguided and BooHoo.com are prime examples of this marketing strategy. Younger consumers in particular look up to bloggers, trust them and can relate to them. If they see their favourite fashion blogger wearing the latest hot accessory, they’ll go out and buy it without even considering if they need it! Creating conversation on social media has become a core way in which brands subliminally persuade us to buy their products.
Ultimately, with so many brands out there vying for our attention as consumers, they have to work a great deal harder to convince us that their product or service is the one we have to have – even if we perhaps don’t actually need it. However, as consumers we are also expecting a heightened level of service and a more enhanced experience. So this typically means these brands have to excel in all other areas including customer care and service. The customer journey is now far more complex which means despite the fact that we might not need what they are selling us, we feel far more important as their customer, which only enriches the buying experience.
